Sustainability can be measured through metrics developed by an airport operator or another party. Such metrics are useful for establishing baselines, identifying trends, predicting problems, assessing options, setting performance goals or targets, and evaluating a particular project or airport organization/enterprise. Today, the most common set of metrics include the rating system developed by USGBC as well as the set of sustainability metrics by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).  The USGBC’s LEED® program is discussed in more detail below.

USGBC’s LEED® guidance can be an effective means to measure and certify the effectiveness of certain airport projects in meeting sustainability goals. LEED® is often associated with building vertical structures, and many components can be applied to various design and construction aspects of horizontal construction projects as well. It is important to note that, in the airport context, LEED® is not all inclusive, in that it may not cover the many different types of capital projects at an airport or maintenance activities, nor does it effectively measure sustainable airports operations or administration. 

Many airports have adapted the LEED® program and created airport-specific sustainability guidelines and metrics for their particular programs and have made their guidelines available publicly for all airports to utilize.  They include Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Los Angeles World Airports, and Columbus International Airport.  The practices included in these guidelines have been compiled in the database of sustainability measures included in Section 4 of this report.

The SAGA Resource Guide identifies practices that may possibly have LEED® applicability, but should not be used to create a LEED® checklist. Also note that the Resource Guide does not weigh the benefits of the individual sustainability practices, nor does it identify metrics or indicators to measure the effectiveness of the practices. SAGA may undertake an effort in the future to develop metrics or indicators for individual sustainability practices, and there are other initiatives underway to accomplish the same goal.